NEWS

National Curriculum
Department of the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia with the support
of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United States Agency for
International Development (USAID), and Organization “Save the Children”, has
published a guidebook for teachers: “Inclusive Education – Sport for pupils
with special needs”.

Budget
of the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia of the year 2013 provides
for considerable increase of teachers’ salaries by 26%-59%. Today, First Deputy
Minister of Education and Science of Georgia Tamar Sanikidze held a meeting
with financial managers of all resource centers and gave detailed explanation
on the changes in rules of paying salaries.

Computer program KCFE
will be implemented in Georgian schools with the aim of popularizing chess
among teenagers. Today, a well-known chess player and a world champion Garry
Kasparov made a presentation of the program and a lesson in Tbilisi
Experimental School №1.

National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement of the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia with the support of the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ -Deutsche GesellschaftfürInternationale Zusammenarbeit), held an opening of national competition of the project WorldSkills Georgia in a conference hall of “Didube Plaza”.

Special Commission
scrutinizing applications of the persons dismissed on political grounds from
public schools and resource centers held a work meeting on February 14, 2013.
The Commission held a hearing of applications submitted to the Ministry as a
reply to deficiency letters sent to the applicants.

Representatives of Georgian Tennis Federation held a presentation
on School Tennis Program at the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia. The
presentation was attended by directors and sport teachers of 26 public schools.

Selection phase of the internship competition announced by
the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia has ended. Selected applicants
are asked to come to the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia on Monday,
February 18, 2013, 10:00 a.m. and have an ID card with them.

Members of the Commission scrutinizing
cases of the persons dismissed on political grounds from public schools and
resource centers, continue regular meetings with the representatives of
educational sphere and the mass media.

Today, Minister of Education and
Science of Georgia Giorgi Margvelashvili and First Deputy Minister Tamar
Sanikidze held a meeting with teachers of Tbilisi schools in Teacher’s House.
The aim of the meeting was to introduce ongoing reforms and future plans to the
teachers.

Millennium Account Corporation (MCC) has selected Georgia as eligible to
develop a second MCC Compact in December 2011. The goal of the Compact
will be to reduce poverty through economic growth by improving the
quality of human capital in Georgia.

Meeting of the representative of
educational sphere and members of the Commission reviewing the cases of persons
who were unfairly dismissed on political grounds is due on February
12th, 2013 at 12:00.

Special Commission scrutinizing
applications of the persons dismissed on political grounds from public schools
and resource centers is giving clarification for the public, as the burden of proof
is directed towards the author in order to present and prove facts.

First Deputy Minister of
Education and Science of Georgia Tamar Sanikidze visited a public school in
village Bogvi, Tetritskaro municipality. Tamar Sanikidze met 120 pupils who are
served with a new bus to reach the school.

Within the framework of the Project
“Democracy starts with you!”, South Caucasus Youth Parliament convened a
session in Tsaghkadzor, Armenia. The event
was attended by Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Georgia Aluda
Goglichidze and Minister of Education and Science of Armenia Armen Ashotyan.

School-leaving exams 2012-2013 will be conducted
in two stages according to model 4+4 in general education schools of Georgia.
Lia Gigauri, Head of the Department for General Education Management and
Development has introduced the new
model to heads of Resource Centers of Imereti, Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo
Svaneti.

The
Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia with the support of US Agency for
International Development (USAID) is carrying out primary education project
(G-PriEd) “Teachers’ Professional Development Program for Georgian and Math
teachers of primary schools (I-VI grades).

With
the initiative of the Ministry of Agriculture of Georgia and with the support
of the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia and UNDP, up to 900 tractor
operators will be retrained during the period of 35 days at state vocational
colleges of Kachreti, Akhaltsikhe, Ambrolauri, Kobuleti, Ozurgeti, Senaki, Gori
and Didi Jikhaishi.

Minister
of Education and Science of Georgia Giorgi Margvelashvili paid an official
visit to the Great Britain with the aim of
participating in Education World Forum (EWF). The abovementioned Forum was attended by Education
Ministers from almost every country of the world.

Work meetings at the Ministry of Education and
Science of Georgia continue. Today, Deputy Minister Aluda Goglichidze and other
representatives of the Ministry held a meeting with heads of Math and IT
departments of public schools.

The second phase of the internship competition announced by The Ministry
of Education and Science of Georgia has ended. The Commission
determined minimum 65 points necessary for the applicants to move on to
the next stage.

It is noteworthy that UNESCO has declared 2013 the jubilee year of
Ekvtime Takaishvili. The current year coincides with 150th anniversary of
Ekvtime Takaishvili’s day of birth. The Ministry of Education and Science of
Georgia is proposing two types of competitions to the schools: A project competition:
“What we know about Ekvtime Takaishvili” and a competition of blogs on... Read More

830 notices were submitted to the
Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia and relevant Resource centers till
the deadline - January 14, 2013 for Special Commission set up at the Ministry
of Education and Science of Georgia which scrutinizes written notices of the persons
of public schools and resource centers who were dismissed on political grounds.

School-leaving
exams 2012-2013 will be conducted in two stages according to model 4+4 in
general education schools of Georgia. The first stage starts on February 15 and
ends on March 1, 2013 and the period for the second stage is from May 20 to May
29, 2013.

The Ministry
of Education and Science of Georgia is starting the process of implementation
of inclusive education in vocational education with the support of the Ministry
of Education and Research of Norway.

Today, a work meeting was held at the Ministry
of Education and Science of Georgia with heads of the school department of
Georgian Language and Literature. Deputy Minister of Education and Science of
Georgia Aluda Goglichidze and other representatives of the Ministry had a
meeting with the representatives of school departments of Tbilisi public
schools.

Georgian
team won first place in Mathematics, Physics and Informatics in the 9th
International Zhautikov Olympiad held in Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan. Seniors from Physics and Math Komarov Public School 199
of Tbilisi, Ilia Vekua
Public School 42 of Tbilisi, Physics and Math Andria Razmadze Public School of
Kutaisi and Private Demirel College of Tbilisi participated in the Olympiad.

Today,
Nada Marasovic, Deputy Representative, UNICEF and Philippe Testot-Ferry, UNICEF
Education Advisor held a meeting with Deputy Minister of Education and Science
of Georgia Aluda Goglichidze and other representatives from the Ministry.

The Ministry of
Education and Science of Georgia has launched a new project “School Accessibility”. The aim of the
program is to provide schools with buses for those pupils who have to walk long
distances to reach schools.

Within the framework
of the Government of Georgia - UNICEF Programme of Cooperation for the period
2011 - 2015, from 22 – 23 January 2013 UNICEF in close partnership with the
Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia is organizing a workshop on a ten
determinant analysis in general education.

Deputy Minister of
Education and Science of Georgia Aluda Goglichidze held the first work meeting
in Vani Municipality. Deputy Minister had a meeting with public school
principals, teachers, representatives from educational resource centers and
parents.

The
first phase of the internship contest announced by The Ministry of Education
and Science of Georgia has ended. The second phase – testing will be held at
Teacher’s House (address: 1, Gmir Kursantta Str.).

The Ministry of
Education and Science of Georgia is announcing a contest for the
position of Head of Resource Center.
The contest is announced in several regions of Georgia. For
detailed information please see the attached file in Georgian language
containing job description for the position.

Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Georgia Aluda
Goglichidze together with head of civil group of the Department of National
Curriculum Tea Karchava held a meeting with the representatives of EUROCLIO (European Association of
History Educators) and heads of Association of
Georgian History Educators – a member organization of EUROCLIO.

Deputy Minister of Education and Science of
Georgia Aluda Goglichidze and other representatives of the Ministry continue
work meetings. For the first time a meeting was held with heads of primary
grade departments of public schools.

Members of the Commission which studies the cases of the staff members of public schools and resource centers who were unfairly dismissed on political grounds, held a meeting with the representatives working in educational sphere and mass media.

Special commission
at the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia investigating cases of
staff members of public schools and resource centers dismissed on political
grounds. The Ministry would
like to inform the public that deadline for submission of written notices is January 14,
2013. Submission will not be possible from January 15, 2013.

First on-line encyclopedia on Georgian manuscript culture was created. Presentation of the project was held at National Center of Manuscripts. The Encyclopedia about Georgian manuscript traditions can be found on the following web-page: www.georgica.ac.ge

Financing allocated for student grants for the year 2013
has increased. The abovementioned change has made it possible for the students
to take full BA courses (4 years) in 14 specialities at state higher education
institutions. Deputy Minister Davit Zurabishvili held a briefing on the topic.

Today, Deputy Minister
of Education and Science of Georgia Aluda Goglichidze held a meeting with school
principals of Tbilisi public schools. Main topic of the meeting was to
familiarize with current situation in the public schools and discuss the
novelties already implemented in general education and the activities planned
for future.

Deputy Minister Aluda
Goglichidze, head of Commission investigating cases of staff members of public schools and resource
centers who were dismissed on political grounds, made a report for the society.

The role of libraries in school life
is increasing. For the first time today, Deputy Minister Aluda Goglichidze held
a meeting with up to 200 librarians of public schools and discussed vision of
the Ministry on new activities of school libraries.

Minister of Education and Science of Georgia Giorgi
Margvelashvili has summarized past three months of work of the Ministry. He
made a detailed report for the journalists and talked about the innovations
planned for 2013.

The Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia is carrying out two
important projects with the support of the Ministry of Education and Research
of Norway and “Save the Children”. These projects are: Education Reform for the Deaf and Strengthening of University Component”.

Disputes of those persons who were unfairly dismissed
on political grounds are under consideration at the Ministry of Education and Science
of Georgia. Another meeting of the commission was held in the Ministry today.

Minister of Education and Science of Georgia Giorgi
Margvelashvili and Head of Office of Resource Officers of Educational
Institutions Levan Abashidze awarded school students – winners of sketch competition.

The Ministry of Education
and Science of Georgia with the financial and methodological support of the Ministry
of Education and Research of Norway is starting the process of implementation
of inclusive education in the system of vocational education.

Discussion on a
renewed concept of Teachers’ Professional Development Center was held at
Teacher’s House. Director of the Center and consultants introduced planned
projects and activities to the teachers and listened to their ideas.

Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Georgia Aluda Goglichidze together with other representatives from the Ministry introduced innovations planned in the system to member parents of School boards and parent committees of Tbilisi schools.

Ministry of Education and Science of
Georgia and UNICEF are jointly implementing a project on “Providing
accessibility, quality and equality of education in Georgian educational
system”. One of the main components of parent engagement in the process of
education is to develop a strategy.

Deputy Minister of Education and
Science of Georgia Mr. Aluda Goglichidze and other representatives from the
Ministry held a meeting with the exchange program group of “Project Harmony”
(PH International) from Macedonia.

A coordinating meeting was held
regarding the issues of funding vocational education. Representatives of state
and private colleges, professional unions, employment associations, the
ministry and international organizations attended the meeting.

Educational specialists working in
non-governmental sector were involved in the process of textbooks’ approval. According to the decision of
the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia, in a commission on textbooks’
approval non-governmental sector will be represented with a considerable
proportion along with the representatives of the Ministry.

A meeting held in the Ministry of Education and Science
of Georgia today, December 14, was dedicated to the issues of determining
educational policy course, informational decision-making, exchanging
statistical data among structural units of the Ministry and studying labor
market demands.

The European Union (EU) and the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia presented a
joint project in the hotel “Vere Palace” on the topic – “program for quality enhancement and
reinforcement of opportunities in the sector of vocational education in Georgia”.

Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia
with the support of Agency for International development (USAID) is
implementing Georgia Primary Education Project (G-Pried) “Teacher Professional Development
Project for Georgian Language and Math teachers (1-6 grades).

Deputy Minister of Education and Science
of Georgia Mr. Aluda Goglichidze and other representatives of the Ministry had
a meeting with the representatives of pupils’ self-government bodies from
Tbilisi and other regions, members of school civic clubs and winners of school
Olympiads and tournaments.’

A Conference on “WorldSkills Georgia for Quality
Vocational Education” was held today in “Courtyard Marriot”. The conference aims at developing
and improving quality of vocational education in Georgia as well as bringing it
closer to international standards.

A conference “Involvement
of Private Sector in Georgian Vocational Education System” was held
today in vocational college “Spektri”. The conference was organized
within the framework of German Society
for International Cooperation (GIZ PSDP Georgia).

Minister of Education and Science of Georgia Giorgi Margvelashvili called pupils of public
schools of Georgia to be involved in the competition organized by Office of
Resource Officers. Pupils have to paint
favorable previews of a new uniform.

Large numbers of letters are received by Minister of
Education and Science from teachers, lecturers, school principals and from
those representatives working in the system of education who were dismissed in
different periods.

Ministry of Education and
Science of Georgia congratulates you with Teacher’s Day. We wish you all the
success! Quality of education determines country’s success and that is why each
and all of us have to put our effort in better future!

From now
on school busses will serve public schools in four villages of
Khashuri municipality. Children living in villages Khtsisi,
Kriskhevi, Mitsobi and Osiauri, used to walk to school of Khtsisi for years.

The Teacher’s House
offers a new service to teachers – Skype consultation. Minister of Education
and Science and Director of National Centre For Teacher Professional
Development attended a consultation process today

In the 2012 academic year, 83 “Future
Classes” will be opened throughout Georgia. Multifunctional “future classrooms”
will be opened in every public school of major cities. Today the minister of
Education and Science of Georgia Khatia Dekanoidze visited a new “future classroom”
in public school #24.

The Ministry of Education and Science announced
the new deadline for registration in professional programs at the 4th
and 5th levels. The registration will be completed on September 20th
instead of the 15th which will help contribute to everyone registering
for his or her desired vocational program.

Georgian
President Mikeil Saakashvili held a meeting with certified teachers at Gldani
vocational college today. At the meeting, Saakashvili spoke about the coming
changes in the education system, which are set to occur in the future

A few days before the beginning of the new academic year The Minister of
Education and Science held a meeting with teachers of public school #3 in
Chiatura. During the meeting the Minister discussed the current reforms in the
education system.

24,000 students who applied to
universities have passed the United National Examinations in 2012. Due to the
high level of competition within the full range of programs, some students who
passed the fixed limits and got high scores could not apply. Accordingly, there
are vacancies in different universities throughout Georgia.

The Rotary Club “Tbilisi
International” was created in 2009, and today is a member of the World’s Rotary
Clubs system, which is composed of more than 34,000 clubs. The aim of the
movement is to participate in humanitarian activities throughout the world.

The Minister of Education and Science
of Georgia Khatia Dekanoidze met with US Senator John McCain, Joseph Lieberman
and Lindsey Graham. The Minister took them on a tour of Batumi International
Technological University.

The
ministry of Education and Science has defined new deadlines for mobility. Based
on the order of the Ministry of Education and Science about “determination of
students’ mobility”, it can be accomplished twice per calendar year, from June
15th to September 11th, and from December 25th
to January 20th.

The Ministry of Education and Science announced
the new deadline for registration in professional programs at the 4th
and 5th levels. The registration will be completed on September 20th
instead of the 15th which will help contribute to everyone registering
for his or her desired vocational program.

The
Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia would like to make a clarification
regarding the claim of delegate Dimitri Lortkipanidze that was spread by the
agency “Pirveli” about the first term for the registration of a child in
General Education Institutions, defined from April 2nd to June 17th,
2012.

For the first time, textbooks will be
sold in 400 public schools throughout Georgia this year. The books will be
distributed in such a way that the children from neighboring schools will have
the opportunity to buy books as well.

Today, the Minister of Education and
Science of Georgia Khatia Dekanoidze was in the Kaxeti region. She met with the
students from the families who were victims of natural disasters and informed
them that all of their learning fees will be fully funded by the Government.

Certificate
exams for 2012 are over. This year, certificates will be given to approximately
8000 teachers, which is 2.5 times more than last year. The teachers will be
able to see their results using their 9-digit identification code on the
following websites: www.naec.ge, www.tpde.ge.

Autumn registration in vocational education
has begun throughout Georgia. Volunteers willing to acquire vocational
education will be granted vouchers in the amount of 1000 GEL and will have the
opportunity to study at preferred educational institutions.